Growing up just minutes away from Bryant-Denny Stadium, Jay Bramblett never thought he’d take the field against Alabama.
A Tuscaloosa native, Bramblett grew up close to the Alabama program. One of his brothers, Geoffrey Bramblett, played baseball at Alabama, and his other brother, Bradley Bramblett, was a Graduate Assistant for Alabama football.
“I grew up going to games and stuff like that,” Bramblett said. “We went on his [Bradley’s] complimentary tickets a lot. That was when I really started getting into football and started playing in high school. That’s when it got real.”
Bramblett grew up going to Alabama football games, and looked to spend his athletic career at Alabama, much like his brothers. However, the scholarship offer never came.
Alabama offered him a position as a preferred walk-on, but Bramblett turned down the offer and left home for Notre Dame.
At Notre Dame, Bramblett had a successful career. He was the starting punter for three seasons, and had a 72-yard punt last season which was the longest in school history since 1998.
Bramblett entered the transfer portal after the 2021 season, but once again, the scholarship offer from Alabama didn’t come. He was again offered a preferred walk-on spot, but he turned that down to join his former coach at LSU.
Now at LSU, the matchup against Alabama is extra special for him.
“This is the game that I came here for,” Bramblett said. “I feel like I kind of have a chip on my shoulder. And I’m super thankful to be here and I’m very excited for the opportunity.”
This won’t be Bramblett’s first time facing off against the Crimson Tide, however. In the 2020 College Football Playoff, he faced Alabama with Notre Dame, losing 31-14. That moment was big for Bramblett, but he said this time means more.
“Coming out of high school and not going to Alabama I was like, ‘You know what, I can’t wait, I wonder if I’ll ever play Alabama in the postseason,’ or something like that,” Bramblett said. “I played them at Notre Dame and that was where that thought kind of came from. And it happened and never, never would I have thought I’d be at LSU and play them in the regular season.”
LSU’s special teams performance has been anything but steady this season. From muffed punts to missed field goals, fans have truly seen the worst from the guys behind Brian Polian, LSU’s special teams coordinator.
Bramblett, however, has been a breath of fresh air when looking at the special teams’ performance, especially on paper. The senior has averaged 45.5 yards per punt on 26 punts thus far on the season.
Brian Polian, LSU’s special teams coordinator has received criticism so far this season, especially when special teams lacked efficiency. Bramblett, however, is no stranger to the coach’s plan, as he played his first three years of his college career under Polian’s mentorship. Despite all of the newness that accompanied the hiring of Brian Kelly, and therefore Polian, Bramblett was confident that the two could bring success to LSU. Through both the rough patches and and the smooth sailings, this has remained true for the punter.
“He’s got a lof of experience. And this isn’t his first deal,” Bramblett said. “You know, being steady and being who he is that again, they all have their process, and their trust in that process. And you know, when you get guys to buy into it and everybody working as one, you can see the trend that’s happening.”
Now, against his hometown school, Bramblett will be at the forefront of LSU’s continual special teams improvement. Looking at the history of the matchup, special teams has always been important and that will likely continue this year.
For Bramblett, this game not only serves as his homecoming, but a game to help turn the tide of LSU’s most questioned unit.
